How do 3d Printers work?

Everyone these days seems to be talking about 3D printing, from the White House to Amazon.com, but what exactly is it? Here’s a brief rundown of what’s all the fuss about…

What exactly is a 3D printer?

3D printers are a new breed of devices capable of producing commonplace items. They’re amazing because they can make a variety of items from a single machine, in a variety of materials.

A 3D printer can create almost anything, from ceramic cups to plastic toys, metal machine components, stoneware vases, gourmet chocolate desserts, and even human body parts (one day soon).

In the same way that home inkjet printers replaced bottles of ink, a printing press, hot metal type, and a drying rack, they replace typical industry production lines with a single unit.

Why is it called “printing”?

When you examine a sheet of text from your home printer under a microscope, you’ll see that the letters don’t merely stain the paper; they’re really sitting slightly on top of the page’s surface.

If you printed the same page a few thousand times, the ink would ultimately build up enough layers on top of each other to form a solid 3D representation of each letter. The early 3D printers relied on the principle of creating a tangible form out of small layers.

Do do they work?

You begin by creating a 3D item on a regular home computer, connecting it to a 3D printer, pressing “print,” and then waiting. The procedure is similar to preparing sliced bread, but in reverse. Imagine baking each piece of bread separately and then gluing them together to make a full loaf (as opposed to making a whole loaf and then slicing it, like a baker does). That is essentially what a 3D printer does.

The 3D printing technique divides an item into thousands of tiny small pieces, which are then assembled slice by slice from the bottom up. Those little layers adhere to one another to form a solid entity. 3D printers can manufacture moving elements like hinges and wheels as part of the same item since each layer may be highly complicated. Without using any tools, you could print a whole bike, including handlebars, saddle, frame, wheels, brakes, pedals, and chain. It’s simply a matter of leaving gaps in the appropriate areas.

What are the uses?

Have you ever broken something just to discover that it is no longer available and that you are unable to replace it? You may easily print a new one with 3D printing. That world, in which nearly everything may be made at home, is significantly different from the one we live in now. It’s a future where things are delivered without the use of vehicles or warehouses, where nothing is ever out of stock, and where waste, packing, and pollution are reduced.

It’s also a world where everything is created to order, according to your specifications. That means furniture created to fit your house, shoes designed to fit your feet, door handles made to fit your hand, and meals customized to your preferences at the press of a button. Medicines, bones, organs, and skin have all been created to treat your injuries.

Some of those items are already available to the rich, but 3D printing makes customised production accessible to the people. If you don’t believe me, go for “personalized 3D printed items” on Google and see for yourself. After all, 20 years ago, the idea of doing your grocery shopping on an iPad seemed like something out of Star Trek.

What are the limits?

Although purchasing a 3D printer is less expensive than establishing a factory, the cost per item produced is greater, therefore 3D printing’s economics do not yet match those of traditional mass manufacturing. It also lacks the flawless finish of industrial equipment, as well as the diversity of materials and sizes available via industrial procedures. However, like with many other home technology, 3D printer prices will come down and capabilities will increase with time.

Is it the new big thing?

If you’re a product designer or engineer, yes, for the rest of us, no.

The industry hype, like all new technology, is a few years ahead of the consumer reality. It’s a new technology, thus, like home computers and cellphones, most people will be skeptical of its utility until everyone has one… We’ll all wonder how we ever got along without them.